Emergency Connectivity Fund Tribal Training and Listening Session

The Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Native Affairs and Policy and the Wireline Competition Bureau will host a virtual training and listening session for Tribal leaders, staff, and outreach partners on its Emergency Connectivity Fund (Fund) Program.

This interactive, two-hour session will identify the entities eligible to apply for financial support from the Fund, how that support can be used, and how to apply. The Fund is a $7.17 billion program established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to help schools and libraries support remote learning. The Fund will provide funding to schools and libraries for the reasonable costs of eligible equipment such as laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, and routers as well as broadband services, that can be provided for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons who would otherwise lack sufficient connectivity to engage in remote learning during the pandemic. The Fund is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the Commission’s supervision.

The Fund’s initial 45-day application filing window opened on June 29, 2021 and closes on August 13, 2021. During the initial filing window, eligible schools and libraries, and consortia of schools and libraries, can submit requests for funding to make purchases of eligible equipment and services necessary to serve unmet off-campus needs between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.

The virtual training and listening session will start with an overview of the Fund, followed by an opportunity for Tribal participants to ask questions and provide feedback based on their experiences with the Fund to date. USAC staff will then provide an overview of the application process.

To register, please send an email with your name, contact information, and Tribal affiliation to JulySessionECF@fcc.gov. Registration will allow full interactive online participation via WebEx.